On Masks

An Exploration in Myth and Magic

by Nathan Kibler

Common sense says a mask covers and hides true
identity. After all, masks are tools of criminals, spies, thieves and
anyone else wanting to deceive. But in Western society, we find masks
are primarily the domain of actors.

An actor assumes an identity by wearing the masks of costume and makeup.
They engage you in their story telling with these tools. Their purpose
is not so much to deceive the mind, but to trick the eye so that their
higher purpose is revealed: unmasking the inner self. Only then does theater
have the magic to seduce us into suspending our disbelief and engaging
us in the actor's message.

Commedia Del'arte Character,
Punchinello

Cover, The Mask, DVD

Masks are symbols, punctuation
for the mind, revealing the intentions of the wearer. Masks as symbols are
not so much about surface and appearance, as they are about the archetypes
we encounter in our daily life. One can only fully understand its power,
as with any symbol, when one wears the mask

In the movie The Mask, starring Jim Carrey, mild mannered bank
clerk, Stanley Ipkiss, learns the true power of masks when he inherits
one with supernatural powers. This mask exaggerates his innermost desires
to very comedic extremes whenever he wears it. The mask's powers, interestingly
enough are attributed to the Norse trickster god, Loki.

Loki is a trickster god who was neither benevolent
nor benign, causing chaos and mayham by giving those who asked exactly
what they wanted but in a manner they did not expect. There are many parallel
trickster gods in other cultural legends. Coyote, Raven and Sasquatch
of North America, Esu and Legba of Voodun, Hermes (Mercury) and Faunus
(Pan) of Greek/Roman legend, Susa-noo-o and Kitsune of Japan, and of course,
the ultimate trickster from India, Hanuman, the monkey god who helps rescue
the wife of Prince Rama in the Ramayana by setting fire to everything
with his tail when he is burned as a punishment.

The mask is the symbol of the trickster god because it reveals our innermost
desire to create power for ourselves. In ancient times, masks were not
viewed as disguise as much as they were viewed as the embodiment of the
god. A priest or priestess wore masks as a way to represent the god or
spirit worshiped.

Bali, Mask of Hanuman,
the monkey god

Native American, Cape
of Prince Wales

Shaman are usually viewed as spiritual healers
who wear masks in order to frighten the spirits plaguing their patients.
But shaman also wear masks to dramatize the tales of the spirit's exploits.
Masks are a way for a shaman to take on the personality and qualities
of that particular spirit or god.

Many modern day heroes wear masks to universalize their appeal by concealing
their identity and enhancing their mystery. Characters like Batman, Spiderman,
and The Lone Ranger have entered popular culture wearing masks that not
only conceal their identity but also inform the viewer what they represent.
Batman wears noble bat ears, Spiderman wears ensnaring webbing and the
Lone Ranger wears the Domino, a traditional mask that indicates hidden
purity and virtue. Rock Stars like David Bowie, Elton John and the band
Kiss, have all utilized masks to enhance the archetypal aspects of their
stage persona.

Although wearing a mask will
not immediately impart virtue to the wearer, it can project that notion
into the head of a person encountering the mask wearer. By interacting with
the mask, the viewer elicits those virtues from the mask wearer almost as
if by magic. This is the pure magic of masks, the ability to allow the wearer
and the viewer to tap into essential archetype by interacting with what
that image means to the viewer.

Mezo American, Ecuador

Native American, Kwakiutl

Often people hide behind masks without realizing
how those masks define them. Clothing, beards, glasses, and the images
of popular culture are masks that inadequately hide us from observation.
Being aware of what we hide behind is the first step to understanding
the role masks play within our society today. Masks represent symbols, which in turn represent essential ideas. People often try on these ideas to identify with a particular section of society without exploring
how wearing those ideas effect them and hinder their ability to work outside
of their identified group.

Ultimately we choose the identities and masks we wear. Learning their
meaning and effect in our society is the first step to understanding ourselves
and how we interact with our environment. Stripping away those masks and
revealing our inner self is the only way we can truly connect with each
other.